So Call Me…Maybe

We are so excited to be featuring Rachel Shingleton from Pencil Shavings Studio today! Thanks to this talented graphic designer, finding everyday objects (like this gorgeous iPhone case) to make our world that much more beautiful just got a whole lot easier. Our communication devices never looked better!

Speaking of communication, I thought I’d write a brief post on the power of the cold call. When I was 15, I learned a very valuable and pretty cool lesson. Putting yourself out there can reap huge benefits. Let me explain.

One rainy afternoon, during Spring Break in middle school, I randomly decided to write a letter to the editors of Seventeen Magazine. The basic gist was, “Hi, Seventeen — I think my best friend Lindsay and I are pretty cute, so you definitely want to feature us in your magazine.”

I sent the letter expecting nothing…and a few weeks later, the phone rang, and my mother said, “Jen, it’s the editor of Seventeen. We want to feature you two.” We ultimately spent a day playing hooky from school and getting makeovers. Now if that isn’t the coolest thing that could ever happen to a fifteen year old, I don’t know what is!

So, what I learned was, I’ve got nothing to lose. To this day, I am the queen of cold calls/emails/letters. My perspective is, the worst case scenario is that I never hear back. The BEST case scenario is that someone reaches back out, and more often than not, I’m offered some amazing opportunities.

Meeting Kena, my Co-Founder, was a perfect example of having the guts to write a simple email to someone I didn’t know. If I had never reached out to ask her out for a coffee, BRIKA would never have come to be!

So if you’re sitting here reading this, and trying to build up the courage to reach out to that person who you thought was unattainable, HOP TO IT! I’ve got a letter to write to Oprah…

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10 Comments

such smart advice Jennifer. It’s so difficult to put yourself out there. It can be downright scary! But you are right on, the worst that happens is you message lives out in the ether and the best is that it leads you down a whole new path you didn’t even know was there!

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BRIKA connects highly talented artisans with creative and conscientious consumers through the best in modern craft. You’ll find inspiration within our creative community – a place for every person who inspires, or is inspired by, the power of following your passions.